Tournament Format
This is a three-round Swiss to reduce the field to the top eight players. These eight players will play a semifinal round. The two highest scoring players from each semifinal table will advance to the Final.

Play is limited to 4-player games with 3-players used only as needed. The first round consists of three games with 75 minute time limits played consecutively. Players are awarded one point for each player they defeat and one-half point for each player they tie.

At the end of each game, players will be reassigned to a new table based on their finish in the prior game; i.e., all winners in one group, all seconds in another, etc with some blending of the closest groups as required to fill 4-player games.

TOURNAMENT SCORING

Any ties will have the appropriate points split between places. (Two gamers tying for first in a game will each score four tournament points)

After three rounds the top eight point scores advance to a semifinal.

Tiebreakers to semifinal advancement:
—Most Games won
—Total score from all individual games played (only those involved in the tiebreaker)
—Highest Single score in one game (only those involved with the tiebreaker)
—High die roll

Money is hidden.

Special Tournament Rules
1. Optional Dividend card distribution with German 2nd edition modification of six non-dividend cards at the bottom of the deck. Here is a more detailed look at how the draw pile is built from the bottom to the top (or vice versa since it’s the same). The “remaining deck” is defined as all the stock cards minus the players’ starting hands and minus the 30 cards which will be used as buffers:

6 cards
1/4 of the “remaining deck” plus one dividend card shuffled into it
6 cards
1/4 of the “remaining deck” plus one dividend card shuffled into it
6 cards
1/4 of the “remaining deck” plus one dividend card shuffled into it
6 cards
1/4 of the “remaining deck” plus one dividend card shuffled into it
6 cards

2. To take a Union Pacific stock, you must discard FACE DOWN a stock from your hand. This stock is removed from the game and may not be examined by anyone. This trade is in addition to drawing a normal stock during your turn (German 2nd Edition rule). If you are investing shares from your hand, you may not trade for a UNP Stock.

3. You are allowed to trade a UNP Stock “face down" for a UNP Stock.

4. Each player starts with five normal stock instead of four. (German 2nd Edition rule)

Late Arrivals, Didn’t Bring A Copy and Long Games:
If you arrive after groups have been assigned, you may be forced to play in a group with your friends. Once all group assignments are complete, no latecomers will be accepted for that particular heat.

I will not be making 5-player games just because we’re short on games. If we don’t have enough games, the latest arriving people without games will not get to play. This was a problem last year and in order to allow everyone to play, I requested one 5-player table. This will NOT be done this year. Bringing games is paramount to the success of this event.

Each round will be limited to 75 minutes from when the last group is organized. A 15-minute warning will be called. At the end of 60 minutes, the round in progress will be completed and then any dividend cards remaining will be resolved.